Food-stamp demand up 42 percent

OLYMPIA — Food-stamp applications in Washington rose 42 percent in November, taxing the state's ability to process the requests, legislators have been advised.

Leo Ribas, director of the Division Community Services, told a legislative panel that because of the crush, worsened by state work-force reductions to help cover the state's looming deficit, the typical time needed to approve a food-stamp request in the Basic Food program has increased from eight days to 14.

An increased reliance on food stamps reflects a trend toward greater demand for government aid in the economic downturn, The Olympian newspaper reported.

"The worsening economic conditions have forced many families to come in and apply for safety-net services, primarily cash, Medicaid, food assistance," Ribas said.

Applications for cash grants such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families rose by 15 percent, he said.

At Choice Regional Health Network in Olympia, applications for food stamps have doubled since October to about 35 a month and the group is helping about 300 obtain health care monthly, executive director Kristen West said.

"It's sort of like people's life circumstances are getting so desperate, they're needing to access all of those services," West said.

Thurston County Food Bank director Robert Coit said more families falling on hard times are applying for food stamps to try to free their limited funds for purposes that aren't covered by government programs.

"If the car breaks and you need to stay employed, you've got to get that repair money somewhere," Coit said.

"That's what's happening with working families. That's why we're seeing more of them," he said. "They're not coming here because they are hungry, they are coming here because they don't have enough money for X."